US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (October 15) claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that New Delhi would stop purchasing Russian oil, months after the US imposed punitive tariffs on India over these imports.
“He’s assured me there will be no oil purchased from Russia,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “You know, you can’t do it immediately. It’s a little bit of a process, but the process is going to be over with soon.”
Part of diplomatic push against Moscow
Trump said securing PM Modi’s assurance was part of a broader diplomatic effort to cut off Moscow’s energy revenue amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
“Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing,” he said, adding that pressuring Beijing would be “relatively easy compared to what we just did over the last week in the Middle East.”
Concerns over India’s oil purchases
Trump said he raised concerns with PM Modi about India’s continued imports of Russian oil, which the US sees as indirectly funding President Vladimir Putin’s war.
“I was not happy that India was buying oil,” he said.
New Delhi did not immediately confirm Trump’s account.
For months, Prime Minister Modi resisted US pressure, with Indian officials arguing that these imports were essential for the country’s energy security. India maintained that it must prioritize its economic interests amid ongoing global uncertainties.
Trump praises relationship with PM Modi
Trump also spoke warmly of his relationship with the PM Modi.
“Modi is a great man. He loves Trump,” he said, referring to himself in the third person. “I’ve watched India for years. It’s an incredible country, and every single year you’d have a new leader. My friend has been there now for a long time.”
Tariff dispute and diplomatic moves
In August, Trump raised tariffs on Indian imports to the United States to 50%, citing the country’s alleged direct and indirect import of oil from the Russian Federation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 9, spoke with United States President Donald Trump to congratulate him on the Gaza peace plan that was agreed upon by both Israel and Hamas to cease war and exchange prisoners. During the conversation, PM Modi said, the two leaders also reviewed ongoing trade negotiations, noting “good progress” despite the 50% tariffs that Donald Trump imposed on Indian imports.
Also, recently PM Modi met the new US ambassador and close Trump aide Sergio Gor shortly after his arrival in New Delhi.
Gor said the Trump administration values its relationship with India and expressed optimism following the meeting, pointing to a telephone call between Trump and Modi.
Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on most exports from India, among the highest for any US trading partner. Since the tariffs, Indian officials have met Trump administration officials over trade negotiations. The tariffs were doubled on Indian goods from 25 per cent over New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian oil.
While Washington says that India’s purchase of the Russian oil helped fund Russia’s war on Ukraine, New Delhi has rejected the accusation as a double standard, pointing to US trade links with Moscow.
